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Read Surah Al-Ma’arij in Arabic and English

سورة المعارج

Surah 7044 versesMeccan translation: Saheeh International

The complete Arabic text of Surah Al-Ma’arij: its 44 verses in vowelled Uthmani script, with the English translation under each verse. Enlarge the text with A+, show the transliteration or word by word, and start the recitation: each verse lights up as it is recited.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ۝١

1. A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen1748

Notes

[1748] In the Hereafter. Disbelievers had challenged the Prophet (ﷺ) by invoking Allāh to bring on His punishment. See 8:32.

لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌ ۝٢

2. To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer.

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

3. [It is] from Allāh, owner of the ways of ascent.

تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ ۝٤

4. The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.

فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا ۝٥

5. So be patient with gracious patience.

إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا ۝٦

6. Indeed, they see it [as] distant,

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا ۝٧

7. But We see it [as] near.

يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ ۝٨

8. On the Day the sky will be like murky oil,1749

Notes

[1749] Or "molten metal."

وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ ۝٩

9. And the mountains will be like wool,1750

Notes

[1750] i.e., in the process of disintegration.

وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا ۝١٠

10. And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend,

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ ۝١١

11. They will be shown each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children

وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ ۝١٢

12. And his wife and his brother

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ ۝١٣

13. And his nearest kindred who shelter him

وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ ۝١٤

14. And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him.

كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

15. No!1751 Indeed, it is the Flame [of Hell],

Notes

[1751] An emphatic refusal meaning "It is not to be."

نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

16. A remover of exteriors.1752

Notes

[1752] This refers to the skin of the head or of the body or to the body extremities - which will be burned away.

تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

17. It invites he who turned his back [on truth] and went away [from obedience]

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ ۝١٨

18. And collected [wealth] and hoarded.

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

19. Indeed, mankind was created anxious:

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا ۝٢٠

20. When evil touches him, impatient,

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

21. And when good touches him, withholding [of it],

إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ ۝٢٢

22. Except the observers of prayer -

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ ۝٢٣

23. Those who are constant in their prayer

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ ۝٢٤

24. And those within whose wealth is a known right1753

Notes

[1753] i.e., a specified share, meaning the obligatory zakāh.

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ ۝٢٥

25. For the petitioner and the deprived -

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ۝٢٦

26. And those who believe in the Day of Recompense

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

27. And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord -

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ ۝٢٨

28. Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe -

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

29. And those who guard their private parts

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ۝٣٠

30. Except from their wives or those their right hands possess,1754 for indeed, they are not to be blamed -

Notes

[1754] i.e., female slaves.

فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ۝٣١

31. But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors -

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

32. And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ ۝٣٣

33. And those who are in their testimonies upright

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

34. And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer:

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

35. They will be in gardens,1755 honored.

Notes

[1755] In Paradise.

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ ۝٣٦

36. So what is [the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening [from] before you, [O Muḥammad],

عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ ۝٣٧

37. [To sit] on [your] right and [your] left in separate groups?1756

Notes

[1756] They sat at a distance in order to oppose and mock the Prophet (ﷺ), claiming that they would enter Paradise before the believers.

أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍ ۝٣٨

38. Does every person among them aspire to enter a garden of pleasure?

كَلَّآ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

39. No! Indeed, We have created them from that which they know.1757

Notes

[1757] i.e., a liquid disdained. So how can they expect to enter Paradise except by the will of their Creator?

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

40. So I swear by the Lord of [all] risings and settings1758 that indeed We are able

Notes

[1758] i.e., Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā), who determines the point at which the sun, moon and stars rise and set according to season and every position of observation.

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ۝٤١

41. To replace them with better than them; and We are not to be outdone.

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

42. So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised -

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

43. The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.1759

Notes

[1759] i.e., just as they used to race, whenever an idol was newly appointed, to be the first of its worshippers.

خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٤

44. Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.